Device for teaching arithmetic.



No. 699,999. Patented Ian. 29, I90l. T. -E. BURDEN & A. A. WALLACE.

DEVICE-FOR TEACHING ABITHMETIG.

(No Model.)

NIED STATES ATENT FFICE.

THOMAS EUGENE BORDEN AND ALFRED ALEXANDER WALLACE, 0F MINTURN,CALIFORNIA.

DEVICE FOR TEACHING ARITHMETIC.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 666,999, dated January29, 1901.

Application filed May 10, 1900. Serial No. 16,187. (No model.)

To ctAZ whom it may conceive:

Be it known that we, THOMAS EUGENE BOR- DEN and ALFRED ALEXANDERWALLACE, citizens of the United States, and residents of Minturn, in thecounty of Madera and State of California, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Devices for Teaching Arithmetic, of which thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description.

Our invention relates to educational appliances; and has for its objectto provide. a simple device by means of which a large variety ofexamples may be formed readily and expeditiously.

To this end our invention consists in certain features of constructionand combinations of the same, as will be fully described hereinafter andparticularly pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis specification, in which similar characters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in both figures.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of our improvededucational appliance, andFig. 2 is a front elevation thereof with the cover removed.

The improved appliance comprises a support or back plate A, providedwith side plates A. In these side plates arejournaled at the top and atthe bottom horizontal rollers B B, and preferably the rollers areremovable by providing slots A leading to the bearings in one of theside plates, which slots are normally closed by pivoted arms or latchesO. The lower roller B has a projecting end, with an operating head orhandle B Upon the two rollers B B are supported endless bands or tapes DD D each of which bears a series of numerals which preferably alternatein shade or colorthat is, the 1s may, for instance, be black and theothers red. The value of the numbers varies with the tapes. Forinstance, the tape D will contain only the numbers from l to 6, the tapeD those from 4: to 9, and the tape D still higher numbers. Between thetapes bars E are secured to the back plate A, and the said bars havetheir front surfaces about flush with the exposed surfaces of the tapesand blackened, so that they may be readily written upon with chalk.

In connection with the construction described so far we sometimes employa cover having means for exposing or covering at will sundry of thenumbers on the tapes D DD This cover is detachably secured, forinstance, by hanging it upon pins A projecting from the side plates A,and the cover consists of a plate F, having apertures F, adapted toregister with the numbers on the tapes and capable of being closed bymovable doors or covers G, which may, for instance, be hinged to theplate F attheirlower edges, adjacent to the apertures F, so that whenthe doors are released from the catches H, which normally hold them upin the closed position, they will drop to expose the apertures F.

We prefer to add adjacent to each of the numbers of the tapesD D D anumber l in small figures, which indicates the total of all the numbersexposed on the respective tape when said number 1 is adjacent to thetop. While we have shown such n umbers l. at the top only in Fig. 2 forthe sake of clearness, it will be understood that the numbers l will beplaced adjacent to all of the numbers shown, so that when the tapes areshifted the total of the exposed numbers will be found at the top.

The device is intended for use in schools principally and is adapted forsimultaneous instruction in several grades. For instance, the scholarsin one grade may add the numbers on the tape D, those of the next highergrade the numbers on the tape D, and still more advanced scholars willadd the numbers on the tape D By changing the numbers by rotating thehandle B the examples may be varied, and the number 1 at the top willeach time give the result to the teacher; but said number being smallerthan the others will not be distinctly visible to "the pupils. The blackbars or strips E enable us to obtain a still greater variety of examplesby Writing various arithmetical signs on said strips to connect numberson different one tape relatively to its neighbor, so that the figures onone tape will stand between those on the other. The plate F is used forwhat is termed sight drill, the teacher dropping sundry of the covers Gto expose some numbers, as in Fig. 1, and calling upon the scholars toadd, multiply, 850., these numbers as quickly as they can.

It will be understood that the number of the tapes D D D may beincreased or decreased, and the machine may be single, as shown-that is,with the rollers B B extending entirely across and supporting all thetapes-or the arrangement may be duplicated between the side plates A toform a double machine, in which case there would be two independentaxially-alining top rollers B and two bottom rollers B similarlyarranged. Each half of the machine would then have its separate cover F,so that either half, or both, could be used for sight drill.

Having thus described our invention, we claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent 1. A device for teaching arithmetic, comprisinga support or frame, rollers journaled therein, and a series of tapescarried by said rollers, the said tapes bearing numbers, the range ofwhich varies progressively from one tape to another toward one end ofthe frame, so that the different tapes will afford a means of formingarithmetical problems of increasing difficulty.

2. A device for teaching arithmetic, comprising a support or frame, andtapes movably carried by said frame, the said tapes bearing numbers, therange of which varies progressively from one tape to another toward oneend of the frame, so that the different tapes will afford a means offorming arithmetical problems of increasing difficulty.

3. A device for teaching arithmetic, comprising a support or frame, andtapes movably carried by said frame, the said tapes being endless andbearing a series of numbers, and being further provided adjacent to eachof said numbers, with a less-readily visible figure indicating the totalof the exposed numbers of the tape when said figure is adjacent to thelast-exposed number.

4. A device for teaching arithmetic, comprising a support or frame, andtapes movably carried by said frame, the said tapes having exposed andinvisible portions, and bearing a series of numbers, and being furtherprovided, adjacent to each of said numbers, with a less-readily visiblefigure indicating the total of the exposed numbers of the tape, whensaid figure is adjacent to the last-exposed number.

In testimony whereof We have signed our names to this specification inthe presence of two subscribing witnesses.

THOMAS EUGENE BORDEN. ALFRED ALEXANDER WALLACE.

Witnesses:

FRANK HOMER WEBSTER, GEORGE THOMAS LEE.

